There are many types of pressure sensors that exist in many forms in current art; they generally measure the pressure of air or liquids. Those of which are flat generally rely on a plurality of piezoelectric resistive elements assembled into an array. The number and density of the piezoelectric resistive elements required is defined by the lateral sensitivity desired. The cost is a direct relation to the number and density of the piezoelectric resistive elements, where the greater the number and higher the density, the greater the manufacturing cost. Further, while most will register a static pressure and the movement in the device's plane, few are capable of registering the pressure and variation thereof at any point in the plane. Those configurations having this capability are significantly more expensive.
Electronic input or input/output devices exist in many forms in current art. These can include keyboards, pointing devices, and the like. A pointing device is a device that serves to move a cursor upon a computer's screen and to perform other programmed functions on the screen and in the computing device to which it is electronically interfaced. The most ubiquitous of the many configurations of the pointing device is a desktop touchpad comprising a motion-sensing device on a bottom portion thereof. The detachable computer touchpad is moved along a planar supporting surface, wherein the movement is translated into movement and positioning of a cursor or other location reference on the computing device.
Another embodiment of a user entry device is a trackball, wherein the user rotates a ball extending upward from an upper surface of the trackball assembly to provide movement and positioning of the cursor or other location reference on the computing device.
User identity devices exist in many forms in current art. Examples include touchpad's (alternatively referred to as trackpad's), tablet entry devices, signature pads, fingerprint readers, and the like. Signature recognition devices identify the individual based upon graphic analysis of a signature. Fingerprint readers or other biometric recognition devices identify the individual based upon a respective biometric identification.
Portable computers were conceived to be used on a user's laptop, hence the name laptop computers. During their initial development, the concept was to utilize the device in any environment, wherein the device would include a user entry device that would be independent of the working environment. To address an environment exclusive of a planar working surface, laptop computing devices originally including a trackball style user entry device for positioning the curser. The user entry device eventually evolved into a planar capacitive entry device or a thermal entry device, which has become the standard of currently available laptop computing devices.
Use of the touchpad requires repetitive finger movement, leading to a somewhat difficult manner of use. In addition, should the user's finger be slightly moist, the performance of the sensors in the pad is degraded. The touchpad is normally located in the center front portion of the keyboard. While this placement accommodates both right-handed and left-handed users, this compromise position is not particularly comfortable for either to use, since most touchpad users are accustomed to having the mouse located on a particular side of the keyboard based on whether they are right-handed or left-handed. Thus, users of notebook computers who find the touchpad's bothersome and inefficient resort to the use of an external user input device, such as a mouse, a trackball, and the like, even though its volume is cumbersome with relation to the size of the computer. Manufacturers of mice have reacted to his situation by developing smaller desktop mice and, while these mice have somewhat alleviated the problem of size, not only is the user still required to carry a separate piece of equipment, but also a flat space may not be available, forcing the user to use the bothersome touchpad.
A desktop mouse is typically grasped in the palm of the hand in such manner that the user's fingers may access the control buttons. It is now known that many users of current art desktop mice may develop a medical problem from such grasping, which may lead to physical discomfort, carpal tunnel syndrome, or other repetitive motion injuries. These problems have led to the introduction of different input devices, for example: (1) ergonomic mice, which strive to alleviate the “grasping” problem; (2) a flat wireless computer touchpad, which is capable of being stored in the PC Card slot of a notebook computer, but which is not fully functional. Goldbaum, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,656,386, discloses a fully functional low profile pointing device having a slideable plate, which appears to resolve the problems associated with use of the touchpad for laptop computers and the “grasping” problem associated with mice used in conjunction with desktop computers. However, that device comprises many moving parts and is mechanically complex; it is thus prone to defects, wear and failure of such parts, and is also prone to being fouled by dirt and dust. Not only is the presently disclosed input/output device a significant improvement over that device as a computer mouse, but it is also programmable as a user identity device, a capability that was neither described nor claimed in the '386 reference.
Losses to credit card companies due to fraudulent use at the point of sale with lost or stolen credit card are estimated to represent billion dollar amounts yearly, which could be eliminated by the use of one of the variants of the presently disclosed device. Use of a credit card when making purchases on the Internet is particularly prone to fraud. Credit card loss due to fraudulent internet usage of stolen or lost credit cards, or the details thereof, is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars yearly and these losses also could be eliminated by the use of one of the variants of the presently disclosed device.
A signature pad and its relation, the signature recognition pad, are other types of such devices. The signature pad is generally used at retail locations; it is a device onto which a credit card holder signs his or her name to accept the charge, and into which a debit card holder enters a Personal Identification Number (PIN). Both signature pads and signature recognition pads are apparatus having a liquid crystal display (LCD) interface or the like configured on a pressure pad having a transparent hard surface, onto which a user inscribes his or her signature with a tethered stylus. The stylus, acting upon the pad, applies a precisely directed pressure to the device, and the user's signature appears on an LCD interface or the like as the user signs. A signature pad does not verify the signature of the person signing. As there is no verification of the signature, there is no assurance that the signer is the authorized user of the credit card. In some retail establishments where there is no signature pad, the purchaser signs a slip of paper accepting the charge but, again, there is no assurance that the person signing is in fact the owner of account associated with the financial card. When one pays with a debit card, the user must enter a PIN identifying that person as the authorized user. However there is no assurance that the user is, in fact, an authorized user; the PIN may have become known to a person who stole the debit card, and obtained knowledge of the PIN.
In an enhanced embodiment, the signature recognition pad can be integrated into a system that verifies the authenticity of the user's signature through a link to a database. A user first establishes his or her authorized signature by signing multiple times at an authorized location. A sophisticated graphic and dynamic software program transforms that signature into an associated algorithm based upon numerous elements of the signature, and that associated algorithm is stored in a secure database to be used for comparison purposes when a signature is submitted for verification. Thereafter, the verification of a signature is performed by a sophisticated graphic pattern analysis program, which also incorporates such dynamic elements as the total time to execute the signature, the time interval between certain events of the signature, and the like. While the verification error rate of these programs is very low, and the ability of these programs to recognize signatures is constantly improving, the system is not error free. In this age of global business, communications and electronic documents, signature recognition devices are extremely important, and a verification error could be extremely costly.
Another known user identification apparatus is a numeric user identity device, typically a keypad, a combination lock, and the like. These are generally numeric or alphanumeric input devices, that control entry to space, a location, a premises or a safe by requiring a user wishing to gain entry thereto, to enter a series of pre-assigned symbols, generally numbers, letters, or a combination thereof, in a pre-assigned order, hereinafter referred to as an authorized user template, into the security access controlled device. Depending upon the level of security desired, the input code series can vary from a small number of characters to a large number of characters. To use a numeric or alphanumeric keypad, keys must be depressed. Most safes still use rotary combination locks, wherein the user enters the input code series by means of rotating a dial, right and left, to pre-assigned numbers in a pre-assigned sequence of rotations.
Though such devices obviously do provide a certain level of security, it is obvious that a high level of security requires longer coded series. The longer the code, the higher the level of difficulty for the user to remember. While shorter series are easier to commit to memory, they are easier to defeat by an unauthorized user. As the level of difficulty increases, the likelihood that the user would record the security code in a manner other than memory also increases. This would include recording the security code in written format, in digital format, and the like.
Further, an unauthorized user may gain access to the input code series by surreptitious observation of the authorized user's entry of the input code series, or by other known and quite accessible means. Combination safes have a limited security level and are known to be easily defeated by a technology equipped unauthorized user. Since the security portion of the combination safe is not computerized, the security portion generally does not limit to the number of attempts for entering the access code. The shortcomings of the above identified access control devices have led to the development of biometric sensors for higher security applications. Biometric devices, such as iris scanners, fingerprint scanners, voice recognition devices, and the like have been employed to provide security to a variety of applications, including physical access to rooms, safes, computers, and the like. These are rather expensive devices and, while their error rate is very low, they also have their shortcomings.
Thus, what is desired is an apparatus for ensuring safe access to a computing device, wherein the apparatus is of a low cost feasible for integration into consumer electronic devices, such as portable computers.